Chair



Feb. 13, 1945. EL. KONIG CHAIR Filed June 28, 1943 Patented Feb. 13', 1945 i "Edwara L. Koenig, wnmeae, 1u. f' Application June 28,1943,ser'ia1 10.492471 l l This relates-to achair.

More particularly, thisfinvention relates to a so-called. posture chairxof ltlfiegeneral character commonly employedlin business and professionall offices andlikefplacessby stenographers, secretaries, andfotherfpersons. l

As commonly madefheretofore, so-called posture chairs havel been made rinpartofwood but have embodied :a substantial f part land quantity of metal, including f a vertically extending and adjustable seat-supporting screw member, and by reason of the prevailing shortageV of materials, it hasV now .become difficult, iflnot impossible,v to manufacture such posture rchairs in the; structures and from the materialsv heretofore employed.`

(Accordingly, an object I of the invention is to provide anew andimproved posture chair which may bemacleof availablev materialathat is to say, largelypof wood, and vwith'a minimum num-g ber of metal parts. .l f Anotherobject ofthe invention is to embody in the new posture chair anovel constructionjfor adjustingthe seatunit and the backrest unit thereof `to the desired jverticalV heightv andY for' retaining thelseat unitand the back rest at atpreselected,vertical'vheight f f A further object of the invention is to ,construct and arrange the new posture .chair in suchv a manner that the seatzunit andthe back rest', unit thereof may be securely and, firmly held in any selected adjustedposition and at anydesiredver.- tical height Without. the vuse-.of the vertically extending adjustable.seat-supporting metal screw and associated partsy heretofore employed in `posture chairs. u, l, yv

An additionalobject ,ofthexinvention is to construct andf-arrange the. new posture chair so that the same embodiesa minimum of parts and so that lit may, .-thereforebe.made relatively economically and inexpensively.

1 A further object: of the invention is to construct and arrange the ,new posture chair in suchamannerrthat the back rest unit thereof may be ad-v justably mounted,zin a novel ,mannen and by novel means, upon andrelative to the seat unit of the new chair. :f y, f

Still another object of the invention is to construct and arrange the new posture chair in such a'manner: that the-vertically extending and vertically' adjustable seat-supporting post may be madein various erosssectional forms, that isso 2 Claims. '(Cl. 155-94) bodied therein' may be readily adjusted to ase- '-lected height,.relative.to,the seat, and may be 'clamped into a vfirm rigid association with the Other and further objects of the-present invention will be apparent from the. following description andv yclaims and will Abe `understoodby reference to the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows preferred embodiments and theprinciples thereof Aand what I now vconsider to bethe best mode yin-.which I have contemplated 'applying' those principles. Other embodiments of'. the inventionembodying the same or equivay lent. principles x may be used and structural cnangesmaybe madeas vdesired by those skilled inthe art without departing from the present section and partly in elevation, showing the maninvention and the purview of the appended claims.

Invthe drawing, l

1 is afront elevational view of the new postureV chair embodying a preferred form of the present invention; l

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same; Fig. 3y is a horizontal sectional plan view on line 3 3 in Fig. 1; f Y

` Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view,`partly yin ner in which the clamping bolts engage in the notched peripheral edge portions of the vertically extending and adjustable seat-supporting post in the preferred embodiment of the new vposture chairvwhich is shown in Figs.y 1 to 6, inclusive, of

` the drawing;

` Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view, on

' line 5-5 in Fig. 2,/'showing a. preferred form of lthe novel means embodied in the new chair for adjusting the back;l rest unit vertically upon and relative to the seat unit embodied yin the new cha-ir;

, f Fig.v 6 is a sectional top plan view, on line 6-6 that it may be squareforrectangular, orcylindrif Fig.l 2, showing apreferred embodiment of the means for adjustably mountingthe back rest unit laterally or horizontally upon'and 'relative to the yseat of the knew postureichair; and

Fig. 7 is va fragmentary' sectional plan view y showing a modicationof one feature of the new posture chair and vin which the vertically extending seat-supporting postl is cylindrical in form and is .provided with' verticallyspaced annular` y'grooves in'which the clamping bolts may be engaged forholding the'seat unit and the back rest unit at a preselected vertical height.

A typical embodiment of the new posture chair is shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawing and comprises, in general, a pedestal or support.-

ing unit l0, a vertically extending and vertically Liri v adjustable supporting post I I, a seat unit I 2 carried thereby, and a back rest unit I3 which is carried by and which is adjustably mounted upon the seat unit, I2.

The pedestal or supporting base ID comprises a pair of angularly extendingfront legs I4, interconnected by a cross brace I6, and a. pair of angularly extending rear legs I5 interconnected by a cross brace I 'I.

The supporting baseIU also includes a ciamping block I. 8f=v`thic`h i's` rigidly mounted upon the upper ends of the two rear legs I5, in any suitable manner, as by means of suitable fasteningy elements, such as nails, or by means of a suitable adhesive, or the like, and the supportin'v base Ill also includes a second and similar Wooden.

clamping block I9 which is rigidly'inbitd in one :ofthe `vertical-1y extending bolts 3 2, carried a similar manner upon the 'upper .ends bfthe. ai front legs I4. As shown in Fig. 3, the clamping blocks T8 and 2b 19 yare inter'connectedsby a pair .of Idowel pins #20 which 'are 'fitted into openings-2 I Aprovided therefor in the front y'nla-nfipi'ngblock 1.9 and into similar openings 22 provided in the rear clamping ,block I8 .and aligned .with the y'openings 2 I in the V'front o'l'zlniping` blook IS. IOn'e of-the,.dowel pins-2ll is v-'p'referaloly mad'e `1 fast in the opening 2l. pro;- Vid'ed'therefor .in-bth'e front clamping block I9, 'af by means 'of a suitable adhesive, and Athis d'Wel 'i-piii -is slidable in `theaopening 22 :provided therefor in lthe rear. 'clamping block IB. `The otuer fdoweifpin 32o is .m'ade .fast in .the opening 22 1 provided therefor in the 4'rear 'clamping Ablock 181, fas byfmeans of "a suitable :adhesive=,:fand this dowelfpin `is slidable in `the opening 21 :provided therefor:intheronticlamping block ISI.` In this manner '^tlie'tvvo4 'clamping blocks .4,8 :andi I 9 are maintained in proper alignment 'witheachlother While being `allowed .a `limited 'amount of play or movement `relativerto `'each-[other upon the doWel pins 20. i'

AsshowninFlg, `3 of thefdrawing:, the inner or Yrear'e'dgeof thefront clamping fblock I9 is provided with a centrally arranged Lrecess ,.23 and 'the inner Iorffront redge :of the wrear clampin'g. block `t8 fis :provided vWith [asimilar-1y yarranged .rand vcomplernentarly `recess 24 `and, as shown-in Ivitheidrawing, the verticallyextending and 'adjustable supporting post II extends through, and n ts inthe l two complementary entralrecesses 23 and Z4-of the front `and rear clamping blocks I9 and I8, respectively. The Averticallyextendingand adjustable 'supporting vpost rII is'` shown i'nv 'Figs'. yl t 6', inclusive, of the v'dra tviifg :asube'ir'gfstiuare'for rectangular 55 inV cross sectionfand tli'is'fpcstl II' i's `provided' 'at each ofitslorrie'rs tvitharv f vrt`cally"'s'pacd indentations or recesses the "form of notches 25. `It will) be noted, in this connection; "that the nthe's 2'5 'are "r'arigedin'ooth verticairand horizontal rows, for ''eason'svvhih QWill bernad'e apparent-presently. I f

"The front clamping blooms is provided with. a pairof spacedhoriz'ifitallyextending openings 26 fand thefra'r Aciampi @bloclzjlA is providedI v 'v'ith `a similar pair o'ffspad "horizontally `extending openings zrwhieh "are suenen @with Vthe openings '2s jin the f 'ront 'ciampisfblockleyes best A:shown in v".Fi'g. "3, afnd a "pairjof clamping bltszs riextnueethrough thejpairs of aligned penings 2s 'and 21. nach :of these 'Clamping bolts 28 has'afclampigtvin'g In'i'itfl mounted upon its "thread'd'a'r end portion, 'fand @rearwf diydftne 'rearcismpmg b10tk |1s,-as-shown aeeasso A wooden block 30 is attached to the under side of the seat I2 and this block 30 is also attached, in any suitable manner, to the upper end portion of the vertically extending and adjustable supporting post II. The block 3l! includes an offset or cut-away portion 30a (Fig. 2) providing a, rear portion 3b of reduced thickness and a pair of spaced vertically extending bolts 32 are anchored in the rear portion of part 30h of the `block 30, as shown in Eigs..,i2..andf6.

[The fne'v'vi chair includes :a u wcioeh back rest supporting slide block 33 and this slide block 33 a reduced portion 33a which projects into the recessed portion 30a of the block 3U.

` The reduced portion 30h of the block 30 is pro- .vided with a pair of spaced horizontally extendndprallel slots 3l (Fig. 6) and, as shown,

by .thereduoed portion 30h of the block 3U, ext'dsiito and works-in each of the slots 3l, and a Wing nut 34 is mounted .on Athe threaded end portioncofeach ofzthebolts 32Jbelow;jthe'blook 33. The 4backrest .unit ,1 3 of fthe newposture chair includes' Aan varched, back .Irestsupporting post -35 anda curved back restafsisjpivotally ,mounted, as at 3'I, upony the upper nendiportion ,of the back rest supporting@post 35. The-rear :end :portion Lof theslide vblock is pro:- v-i'dedr-with #a :notched portion x38y 4(llig. v16) .and .the lowerlend portion of the hack :rest'zpost 35 'extends into :thisinotched portion 38 enf Vtherslide block.33,fas shownlin Fig.,:.6. As shown dniligsand sttthedower end portion Jof 'the .ba'ck .rest :supporting apos-t 35 :provided With .fa vertically extending slot .39 :andfa clamping' vbolt "40:, .which 'is A anchored in Ithe slide block 30, projects intof-.fand .works in .the slot '39, this fcla'mping bolt 40 having az threaded: rear vend portion on lwhich va clamping wingginut -4I is mounted.

lAs ishown 1in iFlgsx .and .f6 lof `the ."drawng, the upper surface .of the ireducefd `portion "33a of the slide b'lo'ck 133 is .provided Witlia .centrallyr'arrangedflhorizontal'ly #extending Jguid'e rib f42- and the lower :sur'a'ce of the reduced @portion 330D fof the block 30 is provided Lw'ith afcorresponding groovefIl-S. 1 It will r.noted "thfat'when the parts :of ,the new posture fhajirfare Gin assembl'e'zd.f posi'tion, :las shown' in r'the Ffdravvirig, t'ea'ch vof the Vclamping bolts 28 ifprojects linto and fengag'esvin` brie fof .the recesses or notches 1-25 :in the 3v'ertcaflly extending and `Ladjustable 'supporting Jpost 2H sand 'that the clan'iping bolts 1.28 :are 1 maintainedin vclamping engagement in the particular notches t25,;in which 'they raref'eiglaged, bysthefobmbinedfaction f Ifthe 'Tclainm'rigtbl'ocks "I8- and :1&9 land .the clamp- 129.o'n thefolamping abolts=28 While, at the saline time, thelgrippingxaotionroffthe clamping blocks I8 and I9 lupon'the post FII helps to and rear clamping'blocks I9vand I8, respectively, so that they pass outof engagement withA or-in :the notched portions of the supportingpost LI I.- The Avertically extending supporting post II and the seat unit I2 vand the back rest vunit I3 carried thereby may then be adjusted tothe de;-

sired vertical height, whereupon the yclamping .bolts 28 may againbe slid back into position in the openings 26 and 21 provided therefor in the front and rear clamping blocks I9vand I8, respectively. The clampingr bolts 28 will thenV engage with another selected pair of the ynotched 'portions 25 of the vertically extending supporting post II, whereupon clamping wing nuts v29 on 1the7bolts28y may then be reapplied in yposition of use upon the threaded rear vend portions of the clamping bolts;28 and tightened; thereon.

In this manner the centrally recessed inner edge portions 23 and 24 of the front and rearv `clamping blocks ISand I8,.respectively, are clampingly engaged with the vertically extending supporting post II while, at lthe Sametime, the horizontally ,extending clamping bolts 428 are clampingly: engaged in the selected notched portion 25 of the Yvertically extending supporting post, 'I I,*;thus lmaintaining the seat unit I2 and the backrest unit I3 carried therebyiat the desired'adjusted height.

As shown in Fig. 3, the clamping blocks I8 and I9 are initially spaced slightly from each other. However, if and when wear occurs in the notched portions 24 and 23 of the clamping blocks I8 and I9, respectively, or in the notched 'portions 25 of the vertically extending post II, such wear may be compensated for by tightening the clamping lblocks I8 and I3 closer together upon the dowel pins'20 and the clamping bolt 28 by tightening the clamping nuts 2B upon the clamping bolts 28. Horizontal adjustment of the back rest unitv I3 upon and relative to the seat unit I2'may be readily accomplished by loosening the clamping nuts 34 on the vertically extending bolts 32 and then moving the slide block l33 in the recessed or cut-away portion a of the lblock 30. During this adjustment the vertically extending bolts 32 slide in the horizontally extending slots 3| which are formed in the slide block'33, and the movement of the slide block 33 upon and relative to the reduced portion 30h of the block 30 is guided by the horizontally extending rib 42 which works in the correspondingly shaped groove 43 in the reduced portion 30h of the block 30.

Accordingly, when the desired adjustment has been secured the reduced portion 33a of the slide block 33 may be clampingly engaged with the reduced portion 3011l of the yblock 30 by tightening the clamping nuts 34 on the bolts32, thus securing the desired horizontal adjustment of the back rest unit I3 upon and relative to the seat unit I2. A

The desired vertical height of the back supporting post 35 and of the back rest 36 carried thereby upon and relative to the slide 'block 33, which carries these parts, may Ibe accomplished by loosening the clamping nut 4I and adjusting the back rest supporting post 35 to -the desired height and then again tightening the clamping nut 4I on the bolt 40. During this adjustment of the back rest supporting post 35 and of the back rest 36 carried thereby the bolt 40 Works in the vertical seat 39 which is formed in the lower portion of the back rest post 35.

While the vertically extending and adjustable supporting post I I has been shown as being square in cross section, and as being provided with hori- 'zontally and vertically yaligned-rows of notches '25, formed in its corner portions, it :will be understood thatthe cross sectional shape orform of the verticallyextending and adjustable support- ,ingv post II may be varied and that within the scope ofthe invention the post II may be made in yvarious geometrical crossk sectional shapenor forms such, for example, as round or cylindrical. Such a'modication of this feature of the invention is fragmentarily illustrated in Fig. 7, whereinthevertically extending and adjustable supporting fpostlla is shown as being cylindrical in cross sectional shape or forni and as being provided with recesses or indentations in the-form of vertically spaced annular grooves 25a which rare adapted for the selective reception of clamp-- ing bolts 28a, which are similar to the bolts 28.

In this modification of the aforesaid feature ofthe invention the inner edge portions'of the clamping blocks I8a andISa are provided with centrally arranged recesses 24a and 23a, respecl tively, for the reception of the cylindrical vertically extending and adjustable supporting post IIa. Y

Except as thus indicated, the modified form of the inventionwhich is fragmentarily illustrated inFig. '7A isvthe same in ,construction and yuseas the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, linclusive, and may be embodied vin the new chair without additional changes other than those shown in Fig. 7 and hereinbefore described.

It will be noted that one of the. novel features of the new chair is that the front and rear sup- .porting legs I4 and I5 and their interconnecting horizontal cross braces I6 and I1 and the clamping blocks I8 and I9 carried thereby form a single unitary structure which adds strength and rigidity tov the chair and is preferable tov an arrangement in which the clamping blocks I8 and I9 might be mounted upon separable front and rear leg and brace units which would tend to become separated from each other and which would impart lack of rigidity and structural weakness to the resulting chair. f

While the major structural parts of the new chair, including the clamping blocks I8 and I9, have been shown as made of solid wood, it vwill be understood that within the scope and contemplation of the present invention the clampingd blo-cks I8 and I9 and other major structural parts of the new chair may also be made of hollow wood parts, or of metal, or of metals of formed section, or partly of wood and metal, or of other cluding a supporting leg structure, a verticallyy extending seat-supporting post having vertically spaced indentations formed in its peripheral surface, a chair seat carried by said vertically extending seat-supporting post at the top thereof,

and means carried by said supporting leg structure at the top thereof and cooperating with the said vertically extending seat-supporting post to hold the said vertically extending post and the said chair seat carried thereby at a preselected adjusted height relative to said supporting base,

umili heliimg' 'ineens iiieludmg .'-a' #plurality 1' :ai mixing' b'lac'ks :carried 'by thefsai-d supporting leg .structure fat the top fthereof and Jarmnged lon @sides of fthe .said Ivertically iex'tei'idin'g euppurtin'g :pest `simil elampingly engageable therewith, ysind manually-adjustable clamping ele- 'ments carried yby the fs'aid damping blocks and seat ycarried thereby at va 'preselected ad- :Justeii height relative "to thezsaid supporting ibase V2. A chair comprising.a4 supporting hase '.infelini-mg `a, fof iront supporting legs :and a :pair bf meer supporting legs, fa, clamping member Lfrl'sfidly attached to lsami ifront supporting "legs at the 'top thereef and e, separate .clamping mem- :ber .rigidly attached to said rear :supporting legs Et the top there@ a yvertically extending seatsupporting post, a chair seat carried by Aetaiti fvertically extending supporting p'ost fat the 4top thereof, ea'ch of fsai'd .clamping .members `in'clircling :an inner `edge having'a eentrallylarranged re einem messed zmillion formed therein una the said een fftrally :arranged recessed portions nonperatilng 'to moi/ide n centrally -farrarrged opening ,for the `lxvemelltiozzi ltlf `:seid *vertically extending supqanst, and manually operable clamping incarne carried by `the said-clamping :members :for

@clamping :mesma y'cent-rally arranged recessed portions of theeai lelampinfg members'in freleasblewlamping engagement with the 'said vertically extending supporting. post, said vertically extending ysupporting :post having vertically spameul lindentations formed in 'its peripheral i sur- 'said manually` onezfable ciampi-Isig means "mprising a. Fair of spaced hnrizontallyextend- 1ing kclamping 'bolts extending through :openings provided said `-cllatriplmg `menlbfers for the reeeptien thereof, :and t.seid clamping @bolts lbeing iarmnged ion 'opposite sieles @f'lsaid 'vertically extending supporting pest, fand seid :clamping `Lb'olts 20 Yselectively -errgageeble 'between their Ien-ds in .the indentations 'in the sadvertieally extending supporting post iso as ftoaetan 4the .said vertically fextendmg .supperting Axporst fand lthe .said y=chei1r seat learned @thereby .at ;a preselected ad usted height relative 5to the .said supporting hase.

EDWARD L KOENIG, 

